Hey Mike:
We are for good or ill, a profoundly lazy species. Sometimes great suffering is the impetus to a paradigm shift. In each heart and in one's country the suffering takes on many forms but the cause of almost all suffering is one :fear. Fear is behind all religious commandments and hadiths. After all what motivates us to harm others to begin with. Fear of poverty, fear of our reputation, fear of being judged. War for profit contains a multifaceted set of fears covered up by shallow jingoism and rallies around tokens. It's current focus on 'freedom' is only consumerism and a rather tawdry sort since it promotes tyranny in far away places to produce items harmful to our health, our landfills and our economies while causing more resentment rather than harmony among the members of so called 'free enterprise'.

So we can call out 'hypokrites' as they appear; which may or may not be true in the Pope's case. Remember that the original Koine Greek word 'hypokrite' literally meant 'hair splitter' in the bible and not what is interpreted today. Also take whatever the corporate media says with a large dose of salt. Alternatively, we can recognise suffering as the way our species always get kicked into doing what we should have been doing all along. Moving on to the next step in our growth as a species about to explore the cosmos and leaving all the detritus of clouded thinking promoted by naked greed as some sort of legitimate philosophy, behind. I don't think marriage contracts are fundamental to our reasons for loving each other whatever the Pope and Governor Huckabee declare; love will find a way to survive them.

You and I are fortunate to generationally represent a growing paradigm shift with like minded people gathering together and thinking outside the corporate cloned culture box. The tide that will follow our generation will sweep the old order away. Sooner or later. How much suffering will happen before that happens is a moot point. Few even think of the millions lost to plague when the rich kept the poor out of their castles but not the infected rats that fed on their garbage. That's something progressive governments changed to a degree but the fearful rich still balk at paying for their own long term safety (ironic as always).

You and I are fortunate to generationally represent a growing paradigm shift with like minded people gathering together and thinking outside the corporate cloned culture box.

Yeah,...but we're dying off pretty fast. Generationally speaking,...and I find that most people I know 40 and under find our obsession with privacy to be kind of quaint. They just don't understand what our fuss is all about. They look at the convenience it affords them as outweighing any intrusion. Let's face it,...by now unless you're a hermit living somewhere in the Ural mountains they know all they want, about each of us, at the touch of a button. I've had a continuing crusade
about having to buy an EZ PASS in NY to drive on the Thruway or go across the *&$3@! bridges. I still haven't gotten one out of principal. Preferring up to now to just pay cash, but I think I'm going to finally succumb and get my official travelling
papers. For God's sake,...you go to the grocery store to buy dog food, and the receipt has a $1.00 off coupon for another brand. They not only know what I'm feeding my dog, but now they're suggesting alternatives. Shopping online is another treat
Isn't it! Has anyone gotten something they bought online right the first time. Without having to send it back to China 3 times for repairs first? At least we now have an alternative with Walmart. The All American, Red White and Blue, Family Values store. "Look for the Union Label", American made goods, at a fair price for hard working people. Kind of like a newer version of the old Company Store. "Sorry mam,...your Credit Cards at it's limit,...but if you sign up today for a Walmart Credit Card we'll give you a 2500 limit and knock 5% off todays purchase"."Off course we'll only charge you 25% on whatever balance you have,...so charge it on up there"

I prefer to keep an open mind,....but not so much that my brains fall out.- Carl Sagan
Your brain is like an umbrella. It only works when it's open- Someone Smart

A hope is a spark and millions of sparks can become a mighty blaze Maximus. Our history is about individuals riding the current of the masses. The macro changes we are waiting for are apparent in the micro even while we feel alone and powerless. IMO of course.